Bob Damrauer, a long-standing CU Denver professor and current associate vice chancellor for research and creative activities and special assistant to the provost, will take on a new position next month in his home school, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Damrauer will become the college’s director of collaborative research initiatives, where he will mentor faculty and oversee a matching grants program that fosters interdisciplinary research across CLAS departments.
Damrauer, a chemistry professor, started at CU Denver in 1968, when the campus was a downtown extension of CU Boulder. For the past eight years, he has served as the university’s AVC of research.
“You can’t talk about the history of CU Denver without acknowledging the profound impact Bob has had on this campus since the beginning,” said Chancellor Michelle Marks. “From teaching students, mentoring faculty members, conducting research, and taking on administrative roles, Bob is a CU Denver legend. I know Bob will continue this great service in his new assignment.”
During his career at CU Denver, Damrauer has been involved in research activities in organometallic, gas-phase, and computational chemistry. More recently, he has overseen the Office of Research Services at a campus that supports roughly $20 million in sponsored research each year.
“We are thrilled to have Bob returning home to CLAS, although he never truly left, to lead an initiative approach to interdisciplinary research,” said Pamela Jansma, dean of the college. “The expertise he brings from his years supporting and promoting scholarship across the campus will guide CLAS as we seek to capitalize on our breadth of research and creative activities to bring the multiple perspectives necessary to address the critical challenges that face society.”
Chancellor Marks and Thomas Flaig, vice chancellor for research, plan to launch a national search for the associate vice chancellor for research role and will soon form a search committee and seek faculty input on the full-time position.